Government acknowledges alarming rise in crime in 2023 and changes strategy

The government acknowledged this Friday a “worrying increase” in some types of crime in 2023 compared with the previous year, anticipating the need for “changes to strategic guidelines” for this year, which will be included in the Homeland Security Report, which is still being prepared.

In a statement sent this Friday regarding the 2023 Annual Report on Internal Security (RASI), the Home Office said management was aware of the document earlier in the week, and in which “it noted an alarming increase in some types of reported crime.”

“As a result, the government realized that it was necessary to make some changes to the strategic directions for the current year in accordance with the government program. They are being prepared and will be integrated into the final version of RASI, which will be approved. by the Supreme Council of Internal Security, after which it will be submitted for consideration to the Assembly of the Republic,” the statement says.

Expresso newspaper reported on Wednesday evening that RASI 2023 indicated a rise in human trafficking crime and increased violence from criminal networks, saying helping illegal immigration was a concern for police, particularly in sectors such as agriculture and football.

Also, according to Expresso, in 2023 the number of corruption crimes increased by 30%, as did the number of officials accused of corruption and malfeasance, which increased from approximately 30 in 2022 to 50 in 2023.

Lusa contacted the office of the Secretary General of the Internal Security System, who stated that the RASI 2023 is not yet in the public domain as its conclusion is still being finalized and may receive inputs from the various security forces that provide it before the end of the year. monthly data for its preparation.

Lusa also contacted the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding the 2023 RASI, which responded that the document has not yet been finalized and must be approved at a meeting of the Supreme Council of Internal Security.

Lusa reported at the end of March that the number of crimes recorded by Portuguese police increased by about 8% last year compared with 2022 and reached the highest levels in 10 years, amounting to 371,995, according to statistics from the General Directorate of Justice Policy.

The annual statistical review published on the website of the Directorate General of Judicial Policy (DGPJ) shows that the number of crimes recorded by the police in 2023 was 371,995, an increase of 28,150 compared to 343,845 in 2022 crimes.

Statistics also show that since 2013, when 376,403 crimes occurred, there have not been as many crimes recorded in Portugal as in 2023.

The DGPJ states that crimes against property constitute about 51.0% of the total (189,657 crimes), followed by crimes against people, which constitute about 24.4% of the total (90,840 crimes), and crimes against life in society, which constitute 11.9% of the total number of crimes. total (44,439 crimes).

Crimes against the state saw the biggest increase last year (up 16.9%), rising from 6,559 in 2022 to 7,713 in 2023, followed by crimes against cultural identity/personal integrity (up 9.6%) , the total number of which was 367, and in 2022 there were 289.

Justice statistics also show that crimes against people increased by 5.8% and crimes against property increased by 7.6%. Police recorded another 424 crimes against public life, for a total of 44,439 in 2023.

The most common crimes in 2023 were “domestic violence against spouses, etc.” (26,041), followed by drunk driving (24,133), physical offenses (24,111), auto theft (20,180), and computer fraud. as well as communication (20,259), threats and coercion (16,676) and driving without a legal license (15,579).